Damp sand hopper system

Abstract

A towable or self-propelled device and method for treating and maintaining turf are disclosed. These include at least one roller and manifold assembly, said at least one roller and manifold assembly including a plurality of injection heads for directing periodic high pressure jets of liquid and at least one additive material into the ground, said jets of liquid having a discrete pulse duration, wherein the depth of penetration of the jets into the soil is a function of the pulse duration, wherein said plurality of injection head creates a discharge pattern greater than 30 inches in width and at least 1 inch in depth; a liquid supply system for supplying pressurized liquid to said at least one injection head; an additive supply system for introducing said at least one additive material to said liquid within said at least one injection head, the additive supply system including a hopper that receives the additive material after passing through a plurality of sifters; and a control system for controlling discharge from said at least one injection head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A towable or self-propelled device for treating and maintaining turf, comprising:
 at least one roller and manifold assembly, said at least one roller and manifold assembly including a plurality of injection heads for directing periodic high pressure jets of liquid and at least one additive material into the ground, said jets of liquid having a discrete pulse duration, wherein the depth of penetration of the jets into the soil is a function of the pulse duration, wherein said plurality of injection head creates a discharge pattern greater than 30 inches in width and at least 1 inch in depth;   a liquid supply system for supplying pressurized liquid to said at least one injection head;   an additive supply system for introducing said at least one additive material to said liquid within said at least one injection head, the additive supply system including a hopper that receives the additive material after passing through a plurality of sifters; and   a control system for controlling discharge from said at least one injection head.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a hinging mechanism, wherein said hinging mechanism positions said at least one roller and manifold assembly in contact with the ground surface when said at least one roller and manifold assembly is engaged, and positions said at least one roller and manifold assembly above the ground surface when said at least one roller and manifold assembly is not engaged. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said discharge pattern is greater than 75 inches in width. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said liquid supply system comprises at least one high pressure pump for supplying pressurized liquid to said at least one injection head. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one injection head comprises a nozzle connected with said liquid supply system for producing a jet of liquid when pressurized liquid is supplied to said nozzle, an outlet for the liquid jet downstream from said nozzle, and a mixing region between said nozzle and said outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein said mixing region comprises an inlet connected with said additive supply system for admitting said at least one additive material to said mixing region for combination with the liquid jet produced by said nozzle. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one injection head further comprises a venturi for creating negative pressure with said mixing region to draw said at least one additive material through said inlet as the jet is discharged from said outlet. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said control system comprises a controller, a distance sensor operable to provide ground traversing distance information to said controller, and a valve operable by said controller to admit successive bursts of pressurized liquid into said at least one injection head as a function of said distance information provided to said controller by said distance sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein said controller further comprises a programmable computer. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein said controller further comprises means for selectively adjusting distance intervals between successive operations of said valve. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein said controller further comprises means for selectively adjusting the duration of each operation of said valve. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said discharge pattern from said at least one injection head is related to the ground traversing distance while the device is moving along a path of travel. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said additive supply system is suitable for delivering 1 to 10 cubic feet of said at least one additive material in granular form subsurfacely to 1000 square feet of soil or land. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said additive supply system is suitable for delivering said at least one additive material in liquid form to said at least one injection head. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said additive supply system further comprises a collecting chamber disposed to receive said at least one additive material, and to accumulate successive charges thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said injection head communicates with said collecting chamber, and wherein said additive supply system provides means for drawing the accumulated charge of said at least one additive material into the liquid jet during each discharge from said at least one injection head. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said collecting chamber having an entrance thereto, said additive supply system being operable to deliver said additive material to said entrance substantially continuously during intermittent discharges of jets from said injection head. 
     
     
         18 . A method of treating and maintaining turf, comprising:
 producing successive high pressure jets of pressurized liquid;   directing said successive jets of pressurized liquid toward the ground creating a distribution pattern greater than 30 inches in width and at least 1 inch in depth along a path of travel, wherein said successive jets of pressurized liquid are at spaced intervals along said path of travel, and wherein the jets' depth of penetration into the soil is a function of the jets' pulse duration;   producing successive charges of at least one additive material;   maintaining each charge of said at least one additive material isolated from the liquid until a corresponding jet has been produced, the additive material isolated in a hopper that receives the additive material after passing through a plurality of sifters; and   introducing a charge of said at least one additive material into said corresponding jet as said corresponding jet is directed toward the ground.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said spaced intervals are a function of distance traversed along said path of travel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising adjusting distance intervals between said successive jets of pressurized liquid along said path of travel. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising adjusting the duration of said successive jets of pressurized liquid. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said producing successive charges of said at least one additive material comprises adjusting the rate of production of said charges as a function of distance traversed along said path of travel. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said directing said successive jets of pressurized liquid toward the ground comprises producing a region of negative pressure in association with said successive jets of pressurized liquid. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said introducing a charge of said at least one additive material into said corresponding jet comprises drawing said charge of said at least one additive material into said corresponding jet using said region of negative pressure. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said producing successive charges of said at least one additive material includes delivering said at least one additive material in a steady stream to a collecting chamber while said successive jets of pressurized liquid are produced intermittently. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said introducing a charge of said at least one additive material into said corresponding jet includes drawing each charge out of said collecting chamber and into said corresponding jet. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said delivering said at least one additive material to said collecting chamber in a steady stream includes adjusting the rate of delivery to said collecting chamber as a function of the distance traversed along said path of travel. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein directing successive jets of pressurized liquid into the ground occurs while said successive jets of pressurized liquid are in motion along said path of travel.